The Habitats Directive lists important species and habitats that if present in a Member State should be considered for designation within a Special Area of Conservation.
A site of Community importance designated by the Member States where the necessary conservation measures are applied for the measurement or restoration, at a favourable conservation status, of the habitats and or species for which the site is designated.
A site designated under the European Community Habitats Directive, to protect internationally important natural habitats and species.
European designation intended to protect the habitats of threatened species of wildlife. Where a SAC has yet to be designated, it is referred to as a candidate SAC (cSAC) and is protected to the same level as a designated site.
this is an International designation which gives additional protection to the best nature conservation sites in Europe, which are becoming rare, under the Habitat Directive 92/43/EEC. The aim is to maintain SACs in prime natural conservation condition throughout the European Union. This designation tends to apply to the best examples of all the listed habitats and species occurring in the UK, a number of which are already SSSIs, and it also applies to some marine environments.
Site of international importance for nature conservation, classified under the EU Habitats Directive.
Areas designated by the Scottish Executive in accordance with the EC Habitats Directive to ensure that rare, endangered or vulnerable habitats and species of community interest are either maintained at, or restored to, a favourable conservation status. See Policy Env\1.
An SSSI (qv) designated under the EC Habitats Directive as being of importance as a particular defined natural habitat or as a habitat for particular defined animal or plant species.
A Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is defined in the European Commission Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora. They are to protect the 220 habitats and approximately 1000 species listed in annex I and II of the directive which are considered to be of European interest following criteria given in the directive.
